Go Rest, I'll Handle It!
by MiniBrissy
Summary: The morning starts calm, as Private wakes up to adventure around before having to attend a meeting with his brothers with the whole circus crew. But then, he's met with a new case that makes him need to take the matter into his own hands. Enjoy!


I Can Figure It Out, I Can Handle It!

"Hnnh.."

It was an early winter Friday morning at the widely-known Afro Circus. The sun shined only slightly. Within one of the tents, the Penguin brothers' tent, a light shifting was heard accompanied with a tiny groan.

Inside the roomy tent, it was dark. Only small strands of light entered through the tiniest holes and barely lit up the metal bars of the bunk beds. Atop one of those bunk beds, a little boy can be seen pushing himself up from his slumber, looking around.

"O-ooh .." Private whimpered to himself as he glanced all around. Glancing to the other bed across from the one he was on, he squinted his eyes, trying to make out any sleeping figures on either of the bunks. Then turning his head to see the bunk below him, he scanned once more.

Stretching and giving a quiet yawn, the young Penguin stood himself up on the bed and carefully made his way to the ladder. Slowly, he began climbing down, making sure not to slip off from his sock's slipperiness.

Suddenly, a gentle hand took a gentle hold of his hand that held onto one of the steps.

Private gave a squeak from the fright, but immediately calmed when he heard the deep voice creak out.

"Guh.. Percy?.. W-Where are you going this early in the m-morning?" the older man, Kowalski asked. He had his head lifted up from his pillow, and his other arm was supporting him up so he could see the boy's face. Kowalski kept his hand on Private's much smaller hand, using his thumb to stroke slight circles.

Keeping hold of his baby brother's hand, he guided him down from the ladder, knowing he wanted off before answering him back. Kowalski gave a smile when he felt Private hold his large hand with both of his, playing with the fingers as he beamed a tired smile at the older man.

"I was gonna go get myself cleaned! I wanted to go adventure around the tents, s'long as there isn't a rehearsal going on, 'Walski," Private said, tone jolly despite that he seemed exhausted.

Kowalski sat up, criss-cross and blanket draped over him. Picking up the little figure in front of him and sitting him on his lap, Kowalski ruffled Private's hair playfully while he stifled a deep chuckle.

"Alright, alright Percy. Be careful while you're there, and I want you back here before the clock strikes 9 o'clock, before everyone goes to the meeting Skipper's scheduled at the main tent," Kowalski, instructed, keeping his eyes on the set of electric blue eyes in front of him.

Private nodded and let go of Kowalski's hand to salute cutely. "Aye, 'Walski!" he chirped. Then, he was off to go to the springs to clean himself off.

Kowalski smiled until Private was out of the tent. He looked over to the other bunk bed, barely seeing the gentle rising and lowering of Rico's chest on the top bunk. The bottom bunk, however, was empty.

"Hm" Kowalski hummed, thinking nothing of it. He leaned his back onto the cold dresser that stood firmly at the head of his own bed. For a few moments, he had gone off into his thoughts, but once he scanned the room and spotted the three individually stacked clothes, he gave a sigh and a laugh before putting on his shirt and getting up.

"Since I'm going there now, might as well bring Rico along.." he thought to himself as he made his way to the other bunk beds.

-At the Springs-

Private sat in the water, under the calming falls. It's been a while since he had finished washing up, but he couldn't get out as he had no towel and no change of clothes. He didn't want to have to go out of the water with only his shorts on as it was a very wintery morning. So there he stayed, waiting and thinking on what he should do.

*Shuffle, Shuffle*

Panicked at the moving bushes, Private backed away, hiding behind the waterfall and holding his ears shut, eyes closed as he sat in a fetal manner.

"Pr'v't? Pr'v't," he heard call out, muffled by his hands. He opened one eye and looked up, seeing two tall figures. One of them had two clasps of hair that stood up in a manner he knew all too well. Opening both eyes and un-cupping his ears, he crawled over to the falls and peaked out to see Kowalski and Rico there, both who were standing in the water with their shorts on. Sighing in relief, Private waded over to them, looking up to see their faces as he stood nearer.

"No need to get worked up, Percy," Kowalski chuckled, "We're just here to bring you your stuff."

Rico snickered when Private had covered his cheeks as he thanked the two. Squatting down, the scarred man mussed up Private's hair in amusement that he was so easily flustered for such a simple mistake.

" 'Iiiicooo!" Private whined, mood way too off to not be bothered by the hair fluffing. Once the hand had left his hair, he looked up at his older brother with trying-to-be-angry eyes, to which Rico only snorted at. Private puffed his cheeks at him, but soon no longer felt any sort of bad feeling towards him when he felt Rico wrap and pick him up in a warmed and dry towel.

Being set back down onto the grass, Private turned around and looked the two of them in the eye, switching back and forth to see which one would say the next thing.

"Alright Private, I guess Rico's done messing with you," Kowalski playfully teased, handing Private his clothes. "You can go ahead and 'adventure' around once you clothe yourself if you want. Rico and I will catch up later."

Private nodded and shot them another smile. He waved them a 'good-bye' as he skipped his way to change behind the bushes.

Turning his head back, Kowalski makes eye contact with the slightly shorter Ringleader. Sighing, he begins to walk out of the water and walked over to their clothes and towels on the ground. Sitting and resting against a tree, he motions for Rico to go ahead and go first.

A few minutes later, Private was running towards the tents, now wearing his normal attire. Tiring before reaching the performance tents, he decided to make the remaining distance to the tent a relaxing stroll. He looked around in awe at the colorful tents, identifying each one. Some of them were tents for the Circus performances and some were tents for the crew to use as rooms. Some of them were for other purposes, such as the cafeteria, the lounging tent, and Kowalski's lab/ study room. Speaking of which, Private had noticed there was a shadow sitting in Kowalski's tent. However, it wasn't just a shadow. It was Skipper's shadow! "Hehe!", the boy sure knows his brothers, especially when their white hair clasps poke out.

Private ran over to the tent's flap and slowly opened it and entered. He saw Skipper sitting on a chair, hunched over a trash can and head in his hands. He could hear his oldest brother breathing heavily, and walking over to glance at his face from the side, he could see a bad fever working its way into Skipper more than it already is.

"U-um..'K..'Kip-'Kipper?" he quietly called. He waited patiently, pulling up a chair to stand on. He began to try helping the lead Ringleader, rubbing his back and quietly calling his name here and there.

After a few minutes, Private could hear Skipper's shallow breathing stop as Skipper took a deep breath and began to move his head up slowly. Seeing his piercing, yet caring underneath, Private could just see the sickness and exhaustion in him.

"Private," he started, voice as if he wasn't even sick. "What.. what do you need, little soldier?" he asked as he wiped his mouth on a tissue.

"'Kipper, are you okay?" Private asked, even though he already knew that he was not at all 'okay'.

Skipper closed his eyes and leaned back into the chair. "I'm..I'm fine, Private. I am. I really am. I-I just got a bit.. dizzy," he lied, carefully drooping his arm over his shut eyes.

Private looked at him with his brows furrowed. He carefully lifted Skipper's arm off his eyes, to which Skipper opened his eyes to see what he was doing. Private placed his hand on Skipper's cheek, incorrectly, and puffed out his cheeks.

"'Kipper! You always tell me not to lie! Why are you lying to me?" Private spoke, maintaining eye contact.

Skipper turned his head away and grabbed Private's hand away from his face.

"I am not lying, little soldier. I'm fine," Skipper stated with no emotion in his voice.

"Yes, you are lying! You need to-"

"I don't need to do anything, kid." Skipper interrupted harshly. Throat burning from the sudden outburst, Skipper jolted back to his hunched back and began coughing violently. After a few seconds into his bad hacking, Skipper grabbed the pail and pulled it closer to his face, wanting to hide from the watching child. A moment passed, and Skipper was huffing his breathing as he set the can back to the ground and away from Private's sight.

The room went silent for the next passing bit. Skipper hadn't looked at Private to see what emotion his face was probably showing; he was too ashamed to look him in the eye. For a while, Skipper thought that it would be all too quiet for the next while, knowing that Private would not leave the tent after seeing all that. But..

*Sniffle*

Skipper's eyes snapped open, but he kept his head in his hands. "Is..Is he really..?" he asked himself, heart pounding.

Another was heard, and Skipper could not take it anymore. He sat straight in an instant and looked at the child that was sitting on the chair with his knees. His eyes weren't as fierce as they usually are, but were now filled with a tender touch.

Skipper cringed as he was faced with Private, who had tears streaming down his face as he wiped them off as fast as they came out.

Scrambling to stop the tears, Skipper held his hands up and slowly moved them towards Private's shoulders as he sputtered apologies.

"I'm sorry Private. I'm so sorry. Private, please stop crying. Look, I'm sorry for yelling at you, little so-"

He nearly pulled Private away when he almost reeled his hands back from reflex when Private quickly grabbed his hands. Shocked, Skipper's eyes widened as he watched the youngster.

"No! T-That's not wh-what I'm crying about!" Private protested, and sniffled. "It's the fa-fact that you lie about your h-health!"

Private then began to breathe very strangely, but in manners that worried Skipper even more. Breaking his hands free from the little ones that held onto them, he wrapped his arms around the boy and sat him down onto his lap. Whispering calming words to his ear, Skipper kept hold on him as he cried and buried his face into his chest. A while passed, and Skipper wished the silence returned, because the heaving breaths Private took scared him even more than the dead quiet. However, soon enough, the crying stopped and Private was taking his breaths normally once again. Skipper began cooing and stroking the back of Private's head.

"Private, ..you, you really don't need to get this worked up over my health, kid," Skipper told him gently after he pulled Private away but kept his hands on the younger's shoulders.

"Yes I do..! That's what family's for. We-We care for each other and we have to watch out for each other," Private started, but stopped his small spiel took look down and away from Skipper's fever-flushed eyes.

"But instead, you want ta' try hiding it away and continue the d-day without the rest and care you n-need.. Why won't you let us help you, 'Kipper?" Private asked sadly. Wanting an honest answer, Private shot him his sad eyes that none of them could fib to.

Skipper smiled softly, seeing his brother use those eyes on him. "Stand down, soldier. I..There's no need for those. I don't plan on keeping things from you anymore, if I even have anything else to hide.. But Private, I want you to understand. It's not that I didn't want your help. I only did it because if I went to bed, the circus wouldn't be going anywhere soon."

Private stared at him in confusion. "Huh?"

"The meeting. If I didn't go to the meeting, the crew and I wouldn't have been able to discuss where the circus' next destination is. If I don't book anything soon, the circus's finances may go down.. And that is something I do not want to cause all because I caught a dumb fever. I have to go to that meeting Private, even if you know I'm not feeling too sharp, alright Private?" Skipper explained.

"..No," Private said, dully.

Skipper raised a brow. "Wh- Private. I need to go to that meeting and that's final," he stated firmly, turning to the desk to tidy the stack of papers that he's been writing on.

"No, 'Kipperrrr" the boy whined. "You can't go there, you need rest!"

"Private, if I'm not there, then who'll lead the meeting and decide where the circus goes next?" the man retaliated.

"I can do that, just go back to bed!" Private replied, standing up to get to Skipper's level.

"Listen, kid, I don't think that's gonna work out," Skipper warned, crossing his arms.

"No, not just me! 'Walski and 'Ico will too! W-we can write down everything in the meeting and report them to you after you wake up! Then you can make the,th- the final choices!" Private sputtered, tripping over words.

"Oh, sweet sardines, Private! Why do you have to be so stubborn about this?!" Skipper cried out as he ran his hands through his hair.

"Hmph! I'm not the only one!" Private retorted.

The two went back to their silent death stares. Upon minutes, Skipper finally drooped his shoulders and heaved a heavy sigh. Pressing his palm to his eye, he opened the other eye to stare at the ground.

"..Alright, you w-win Percy," he said, voice a bit hoarse this time. "I don't think I'll be able to ge-get this through the others, knowing you'd probably tell Kowalski and Rico the moment you see them," Skipper's breathing had become shallow once again for a quick second, but then he took a deep breath before straightening up and placing his hands on Private's shoulders again.

"Just promise me there's nothing for me to worry about, alright Percy?"

Private beamed a smile and nodded, confident that everything will be fine.

Skipper weakly grinned back and handed the papers to Private. Winking, he slowly stands up, only to stumble a bit from imbalance and the dizziness that suddenly came over him. Private jumped down from the chair and stood beside Skipper. Holding onto the tips of his fingers, Private began to guide him out from hiding in Kowalski's studies.

Once outside, Skipper gave a pained groan as the sun's rays shot his eyes blind for a few seconds. Private stood still and waited for him to recover from the sudden light, and once he was alright, he began to guide him through again. Glancing down at the very little figure leading him, Skipper couldn't help but smile at how much protectiveness could be stuffed into such a small body.

After a few minutes, the two had finally reached their tent. Entering, the two were met with Kowalski and Rico sitting on one of the bunks, one arms folded and the other looking at their wrist watch. However, the two soon changed their expression when they saw their leader.

"Skipper?"

"Slight change of p-plans, boys. You three lead the meeting-"

"And we report back to 'kipper!" Private finished.

"Er, yes, sir?" Rico and Kowalski mumbled, trying to understand the situation.

"Listen, I need to reel back from this meeting cause not only am I sick, but also because I would have this little kid constantly trying to drag me out through it all if I didn't, a-alright?"

"Ah," Kowalski said, now aware.

Soon, the three had left to attend the circus meeting. Skipper was in bed, knocked out from the hot fever he was running.

Through the whole time Skipper was asleep, or at least thought he was, he was tossing and turning every minute. Anytime he found a comfortable position, he wouldn't have been able to breathe easy, so he'd turn. Once he found himself able to breather again, he wasn't comfortable enough to rest. Added to that, he was shivering from the cold weather. However, at one point in his restless slumber, he felt his body go to a peace. True, he wasn't feeling any better, but he's found a decent position and he was at least able to breathe. And most importantly, he felt..warm? He felt warm, he felt protected?

Opening his eyes and adjusting them to the dimmed light present in the room, he glanced down to see Private snuggling into his side. He lifted his head and saw Rico on the other side, head resting on his stomach. And sitting at the foot of the bed, back leaned to the wall, Kowalski was there, going through the notes, but had caught eye contact with Skipper.

Chuckling and giving a cheeky grin, Kowalski remarked "Everything's alright, Skipper. I'm sure Private kept his promise to you."


End file.
